Running a dynamic WordPress website isn’t just about uploading fresh content and updating your blog to the freshest web design trends. Maintaining a website also implies taking care of your website security. Perhaps, if your website isn’t your main source of income you’ll get a bit sad when someone hacks it. But what if your website is closely linked with your business? Will your company survive your blog being inaccessible, even temporarily? If you don’t want to check this yourself, I highly recommend you securing your WordPress blog.
Guidelines to Secure Your WordPress Site
You’ll be surprised to learn that securing your WordPress blog doesn’t require any special training. You don’t need to be a pro to follow these simple tips:
#1 Select a Reliable, Solid Rock Hosting Provider
You should never skimp on your web hosting provider. Not only is it responsible for your website overall performance, but it is also responsible for your website security. When shopping around for a good hosting plan check security characteristics of every variant. Ask your provider about extra security precautions.
This point shouldn’t be overlooked – your hosting provider must be reliable by default. In case it’s not – all your ‘manual’ security precautions are just waste of time. Safety starts with your web host.
#2 Update Your WordPress Site and Backup It Regularly
Although there are many WordPress plugins that don’t require any manual intervention to be updated, there are many things that still do. Regular updates make your website stronger, more functional, and thus – less vulnerable to attacks. Remember to keep your WP admin panel tidy and neat – delete all the old plugins and themes you don’t use, remove unnecessary user accounts.
Usually, most web hosts provide back ups. But if your provider doesn’t – you’re bound to backup your blog regularly in order to be able to restore lost data in case of loss. Backups are a great way to find peace of mind 🙂
#3 In Case of Attack React Immediately
If you suspect someone is trying to hack your WP blog (for instance, you get regular notifications about failed login attempts from the same IP address) – you need to take urgent measures. First of all, you need to lock out this particular IP address. Then I highly recommend contacting a specialized web service – let’s say vistnet.com – to investigate the case. When someone is trying to hack you it’s better to leave the job to the professionals (unless you’re a pro).
#4 Stay Smart
Even if you’re using the most expensive hosting plan and there is a top-notch security program installed on your PC – you can fall victim to a hacker. How? By sharing your credentials. You’ll be surprised to learn that many WP blog owners unhesitatingly share their access data with third parties which later hack them. Thus, if you don’t want to end up staring at a message from a hacker saying about shutting down your website, instead of accessing your admin panel, you should never give your credentials to people you don’t know. One more tip – take your time to think up a strong password.
Aleksey is a web journalist whose cup of tea is web security sphere. He specializes in reviewing the most powerful web security services, like http://www.vistnet.com. If you suspect someone is trying to access your website illegally, don’t hesitate to contact their professional team.
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